Structure for doors and the like



United States Patent 3,165,792 STRUCTURE FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Louis Pick, 416 Iona St., Metairie, La. Filed Apr. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 160,053 1 Claim. (Cl. 20-45) This invention relates to an improved structure which is particularly applicable to solid-type doors which are reenforced and finished with sheets of veneer.

The manufacture of such doors is extremely competitive, and cost is a primary consideration. Such doors are used in commercial and institutional buildings, and it is important that they have a smooth exterior surface clean of defects. It is highly desirable that the solidtype doors appear as being of solid construction, which connotes strength and is pleasing to the eye. At the same time, the doors must be durable and not subject to warping. To effect cost savings, cheaper materials are used within the core of the door, with more expensive materials for its exterior surfaces.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved structure, such as a door or the like, which is economical to make. A further object of this invention is to provide a solid-type door with a smooth exterior surface clean of defects. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved structure, such as a door or the like, which has a smooth solid appearance. A further object of this invention is to provide a door, or the like, which is durable and not subject to warping.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the door shown with most of its crossband and face veneer removed.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view of the bottom portion of the door, showing the thickness of the door.

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2, which also shows the thickness of the door, as well as its component parts.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly FIGURE 1, 11 designates the two-edge strip stiles which form the left and right sides of the door. An edgestrip top rail 12 forms the top side of the door, and an edge-strip bottom rail 13 forms the bottom side of the door. FIGURE 1 shows the front of the door, and the opposite side would be the rear. The front and rear are substantially identical.

The stiles are joined to the top and bottom rails by means of dovetails as shown at 14, to form a frame 15. The stiles form the female portion of each dovetail.

Within the space formed by the frame, solid filler material is inserted to form a solid core for the door. The filler material consists of rectangular strips of Wood, known as staves and designated 16, 17, and 18. All of the staves are placed vertically within the frame, with two short staves 16 being placed together against the top and bottom rails at the four corners of the frame, as shown in FIGURE 1. Long staves 17 are placed between the short staves to fill in the vertical space between the pair of staves. Next, a series of long staves 18 are used to fill in the remaining space within the frame (except for the center vertical space, which is filled in two short staves 16 and a long stave 17, as shown in FIGURE 1).

Having a combination of two short staves and one long stave at the left and right sides and in the middle of the door frame results in a substantial strengthening of the door and the elimination of future warping. The width of the staves, which is shown in FIGURE 1, is generally uniform, but not necessarily to any close tolerance.

3,155,792 Patented Jan. 19, 1965 ice The thickness of each stave, which can be seen in FIG- URE 3, is, however, uniform to a close tolerance.

The thickness of the top and bottom rails 12 and 13 are identical to the thickness of the staves to a close tolerance. With respect to the stiles, it is to be noted that its outer portions 19 are thicker than its inner portions 20, which are formed by the recesses 21, all as shown in FIGURE 3. The thickness of the inner portion 20 of the stiles is identical to the thickness of the rails and staves to a close tolerance.

As shown in FIGURE 3, 22 designates the front surfaces of the inner portion of the stiles, 23 designates the front surfaces of the filler material, and 24 designates the front surfaces of the outer portion of the stiles. Similarly, 25 designates the rear surfaces of the inner portion of the stiles, 26 designates the rear surfaces of the filler material, and 27 designates the rear surfaces of the outer portions of the stiles. I

In constructing the door, sheets of relatively thick veneer known as crossband are glued to the front and rear sides of the frame and filler material. Crossbands 28 and 29 fit into the recesses 21 of the stiles to cover the inner portions of the stiles, as well as the staves and rails, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The combination of the two crossbands 28 and 29 and the inner portion 20 of the stiles form a thickness which is identical to the thickness of the outer portion 19 of the stiles to a close tolerance.

A sheet of relatively thin veneer, known as face veneer is then glued to each crossband and the outer portions of the stiles, as shown in FIGURE 3. Face veneers 30 and 31' have a width and length which matches the width and length of the frame 15 when the door is completed.

The width of the inner portion of the stiles 20 is sufficient to provide a firm footing and support for the crossband. The crossband is relatively thick in comparison to the face veneer, and it is a substantial structural element in the door.

The outer portion of the stiles need not be as wide as the inner portion, since the face veneer does not provide as much structural support to the door as does the crossband.

The direct-ion of wood grain 32 in the crossband is horizontal; whereas, the direction of wood grain 33 in the face veneer, and the direction of wood grain 34 in the stiles, are both vertical. Because the stile and rails form the outer frame 15 of the door, they are made of high grade wood, which is fairly expensive. The solid filler material is made of cheaper material, usually out of lower density wood. The crossband likewise is made of relatively cheap wood. The face veneer, however, since it forms the outer surface of the door, is of a high grade material.

When looking at the edge of the door, as in FIGURE 2, only the face veneer and the stiles are visible. The face veneer and stiles are generally the same specie of wood, or similar in color and texture. This gives the appearances of solid wood, and still has all the advantages of the built up construction. The crossband, which is generally lighter in color, as well as of lower density, is eliminated from view, substantially improving the appearance of the door. This is particularly true, since the crossband is at cross wood grain to the face veneer and the stiles. In addition, which only three plies visible at the edge of the doorthat is, the two face veneers and the stile-any tendency toward ply separation is substantially reduced.

The top and bottom of the door will show five plies under the present construction, but the top and bottom of the door are seldom seen or handled, once the door is installed.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and I am aware that various changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claim.

What I claim is:

A flush type door comprising top, bottom and side frame members connected together at their ends to form a rectangular frame, a solid filler for said frame, and a covering on each face of said filler, said filler comprising a plurality of abutting vertical stavesfilling said rectangular frame, at least two of the staves most closely adjacent each of the side frame members and at least one of the staves located approximately midway between the side frame members being each made up of short stave lengths positioned adjacent the top and bottom frame members and a separate long stave length'positioned between said relatively short stave lengths and completing the stave and extending across a horizontal line approximately midway between the top and bottom frame members, the remaining staves each comprising two stave lengths each extending approximately one-half and distance between the top and bottom frame members and abutting end to end along the horizontal line approxi- 4 mately midway between the top and bottom frame members;

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,873 7/05 Mayhew 20-91 X 937,430 10/09 Evans 20-35 1,734,826 11/29 Pick 20-91 1,876,772 9/32 Sievers 20-35 2,020,044 11/35 Tesek 2035 2,214,675 9/40 Jensen 20-35 2,342,490 2/44 Pretot 2035 2,620,521 12/52 Fleet 20-35 2,760,240 8/56 Kloote 2035 2,869,598 1/59 Loetscher 2035 FOREIGN PATENTS 466,783 1950 Canada.

132,895 1951 Sweden.

173,261 1960 Sweden.

BENJAMIN BEN DETT, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, JACOB L. NACKENOFF,

Examiners. 

